1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for milking livestock, comprising a milking box; a milking robot disposed close to or in the milking box; and a holder for receiving therein teat cups which during use are arranged on an animal for milking by the milking robot, and the invention relates more particularly in such an apparatus to the holder for receiving teat cups therein.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Such an apparatus and holder are generally known.
A drawback of the prior art is that the holder for receiving teat cups is stationary. A freedom of movement in a wide area is therefore required of the milking robot. This makes high demands of the choice of dimensions, materials used and so on. In the known art the teat cups are moreover subject to all sorts of harmful influences, such as the excrement of the animals for milking, and the animals may kick against the teat cups if they become restless.
The invention has for its object to obviate the above stated drawbacks of the known art, for which purpose an apparatus for milking livestock and more particularly herein a holder for receiving teat cups are distinguished in that the holder comprises: a guard; a carriage with engaging means for engaging the teat cups and with displacing means for displacing the carriage between a first position, in which at least the teat cups are protected by the guard in the situation engaged by the carriage, and a second position, in which the teat cups are released for removal by the milking robot.